Selected Articles
Review Woody Valley GTO Light 2
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Flashback to our review 2020
When the GTO Light 2 from Woody Valley had just been released, our colleague Stefan Ungemach tested one of the first available models...
Review EN B+ Niviuk Ikuma 2
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Flashback to our review "EN B+ Niviuk Ikuma 2"
Coming five years after the excellent Ikuma 1, the new version of Niviuk’s high EN B or EN B+, largely keeps its promises!
Review Gin Vantage 3
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Flashback to our review 2020: According to GIN, the Vantage 3 is a new concept of paramotor wing: light but durable, easy but nice to fly, aimed at beginner to intermediate paramotor pilots and free flying pilots. Marc Coffinet tested this universal wing for free.aero magazine.
Portfolio: Ramon Morillas in Egypt
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Famous pilot Ramon Morillas prepares trips for paramotor pilots in Egypt, which even include SIV training over the Nile. He brought us back some photos of his aerial strolls. A paramotor is undoubtedly a fantastic tool for exploring the Kingdoms of the Pharos and the Egyptian gods…
Gin: Leopard
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Gin Leopard XS – EN D In the relatively limited family of competitors for the Ozone Zeno (the Zeno 2 will be launched soon), the Gin Leopard offers a real alternative, which is innovative and not a copy...
Supair: Leaf 2/Leaf 2 light
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The Leaf 2, a tool for progressing. Supair advertised the Leaf 2 as the ideal tool for progressing...
Test: Icaro Buteo XC
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A less expensive “Phantom”? The Buteo is very homogenous, comfortable, powerful and also, a lot of fun…
SINGLE OR DOUBLE SKIN?
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A DIFFICULT CHOICE? One trend which remains clear is the increase in single surfaces. Several manufacturers such as Skyman, Independence and Dudek even give a choice of several different models in their catalogues...
Kortel Konnect T-BONE-LINK
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The fast softlink
It has been a while since Kortel started advertising them, and now they are finally available: a softlink which closes and opens almost as quickly as a carabiner
NIVIUK SKIN 3 AND SKIN 3 P
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The Niviuk Skin was, in its first version, a single skin and at the same time, almost a real little paraglider. Now, it is available in its third version. First quick tests…
FLYING WITH SKIS
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Taking off on skis, not just for speedriding! But that changes the game, especially taking off…
Neo: Video: bag/harness Neo Shorty
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Neo continue their expansion, which from now on will take place in their new premises, still in France. The main focus of their products is still lightweight flying and speedriding...
Fatal accidents of French licence-holders: Surprises, statistics…
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Jean Marc Galan, the FFVL’s Mr Safety, presented to the FFVL the first in depth study covering twelve years of fatal paragliding accidents...
XC Tracer Maxx with screen
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Version with screen:
The XC-Tracer vario, known for its reactivity boosted by the integration of an AHRS system, which, amongst other things, takes into account the values of a gyrometer and an accelerometer, will be available at the end of February in a version with a screen…
GIN GENIE LITE 3
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In trends in harnesses, which we’ll talk more about in the next issue, it is worth noting that more and more intermediate pilots, not necessarily those who clock up the kilometres, are flying in cocoon harnesses...
Gin: Light for XC
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Camino and Genie Lite
An example of two trends in one photo: the Camino and the Genie Lite version 3, presented at the Coupe Icare and which were launched at the beginning of January 2020...
HEAD OVER FROM 7100m
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JUMP WITH AN EN C
On the 21st of January 2020, Mike Küng jumped from a balloon at 7,100m altitude above Achensee in Austria...
Phi: RHYTHM MAINTAINED…
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Phi have brought these models out even faster: after all the work done in the different ‘subcategories’ in EN A and EN B, there is now the first EN C which comes straight from the hands of Hannes Papesh, Mike Küng, Benni Hörburger…
PARAGLIDER DATABASE
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A third database listing models of paragliders has been launched. Set up in the spirit of Open Source, it is particularly promising!
Portfolio Markus Gründhammer
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Markus lets us relive his autumn vol bivouacs. As always, they are like fairy tales.
Test: Phi Maestro
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The Phi Maestro, is the flagship wing by the young, but nonetheless, very experienced designer and manufacturer, Hannes Papesh, and seconded for testing by Mike Kung. This ‘sport’ wing targeted as top end EN B, developed over more than two years, represents for Hannes, a game and an exercise in style, which he adores.
Nova Speedmax 2
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The Speedmax 2 is a modified version of the Mentor 4, specially for use with a motor. Launched in 2016, it still hasn’t had the success it deserves. Test…
Test ITV Piper
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A wing which has also been talked about a lot: the ITV Piper, which came out at the beginning of 2019. We tested it…
Test: Dudek Colt 2
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This EN C wing has been on the market for two years. It’s a great entry in this category when coming from EN B+ wings...
37th Coupe Icare Cinema!
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A new record for this 37th Coupe Icare Film Festival: 110 amateur and professional films were presented. Forty were chosen by the Selection Committee for the official projection. Then a jury made up of professionals from photography and sport, as well as a jury made up of the press people who specialise in free flying from all over Europe watched them...
Nova Ion 5 / Ion 5 light
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The Ion 5 is the ‘flagship’ of the Austrian manufacturer’s leisure range. The Ion 5 is advertised as an accessible, easy, EN B but, at the same time, with good handling and flexibility.
The Skytraxx 2.1 has been on the market for several months: despite its small size, it has an integrated FANET/FLARM system, and the latest revisions have brought it up to date…Managing Fear 2/2
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Fear, worry, apprehension, anguish, anxiety, panic… we use the word ‘stress’ to describe these feeling that we’ve all already felt. How can you control it? Starting with our last issue, we will now be publishing an extract from Jean-Marc Galan’s book every month:
Test :Swing Agera RS
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Launched at the beginning of the year, here’s the machine which is now on sale! The Swing Agera RS is the highest performing wing in the German manufacturer’s range. It uses the Rast system, which won the top prize for innovation at the Coupe Icare in 2018, with an aspect ratio of 6.3 for a three-line wing, certified EN C.
AERIAL INTERNET AND WEATHER STATIONS FOR PILOTS
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So here we have it, FANET networking for pilots has been tried and tested. In addition, from November 2019, weather stations which are less expensive than the PiouPiou will provide live information in the air for about 250 €...
ManagingFear. 1/2
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Stress is our body’s natural reaction in response to a perceived risk, real or imaginary. Some pilots never feel stressed when flying, thanks to too much confidence or complacency.
Syride knows everything: Who was it?
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We often wonder who is on the other glider we are flying with. Where did he take off from? Where did he get to? What altitude was he at? Which wing did he have?
LANDING EN MASSE ON MONT BLANC
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On the 26th of June 2019, hundreds of pilots managed to fly over Mont-Blanc at altitudes of around 5000-5600 metres, and many landed on the summit...
Meteo parapente
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The Météo-Parapente server makes the service very efficient. For numerous pilots, it’s their principal way of knowing the quality of a thermic day in advance.
Portfolio On The way...
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Following a route or a path is very easy in a paramotor. Some lovely photos from a day out in Chile, brought to us by Jeff Hamman.
Test Skywalk Cumeo XS
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The Skywalk Cumeo is the ultra lightweight version of the excellent B+ Chili 4, in the German manufacturer’s range. Over the years, Skywalk has made its mark with wings which are easily identifiable, with strong graphics, and precisely positioned as very high-tech.
Crossing New Zealand
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Reader's Story Text and photos by Kilian Hallweger, Michael Malchereck, Nicolas Manthos et Markus Anders
Flying XC and skimming the ground in stunning European countryside
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Skimming flights and easy distances above dreamy countryside… Three paramotor pilots explored northern Italy and flew over stunning countryside…
Strengthen YOUR mental attitude By USING the cold and your breathing?
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Mental preparation can improve your physiological and psychological performance in any sport. Dutch man Wim Hof has become known as the ‘Iceman,’ beating astonishing records. To prepare his body and spirit, he has developed a method which should be accessible to everyone, and also usable in everyday life. We tried it…
Test: 777- Queen Who is it designed for?
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We made the most of the lovely autumnal days to try out this wing at St André les Alpes, Annecy and in the Vosges, in different conditions, from excellent to frankly horrendous.
Test Niviuk Hook 5
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The Catalan manufacturer has just brought out the latest version of the Hook. There are new features and significant improvements in this fifth-generation wing.
PWCA Superfinal 2018 March 2019
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The 10th Super Final was a truly amazing event set in the Sugar Loaf landscape of Baixo Guandu, Brazil.
New app:Relief maps
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A new app for iOS and Android which will, no doubt, be very useful for hike&fly pilots.
PHI SYMPHONIA
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We are currently testing a Symphonia. Whilst waiting for our final verdict, here are our first impressions…
Slightly moulded.
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AQUATIC SHOES FOR flying? In our review of the Fivefingers in the last article on this subject, we rarely wore socks. We wondered whether, for ‘hike&fly’ in mid-summer, it would be even nicer to wear ventilated shoes made from mesh fabric, designed for use in water...
3000 star Hotels
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The hike and fly season, for many pilots, goes hand in hand with an overnight bivouac before a morning flight...
LEGACY MIKE KÜNG
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The famous acro pilot, pioneer of proximity flying, and outstanding climber of obstacles, will bring out a self portrait book in English. Another chance to look at some stunning photos…
TEST: OZONE XX Lite 2
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Six years after the first XXLite and, after the arrival of numerous other high-performance single skins from their competitors, Ozone have brought out the XXLite 2...
REVIEW Naviter HYPER
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This is what adventurers and migratory birds have been waiting for: with the Hyper, Naviter is building a pocket-sized quality vario with colour maps...
Test OZONE WISP
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Especially when it comes to tandem hike and fly, Ozone couldn’t not react when faced with these two ultralight single surface tandems. The Wisp, a classic 38 m², double surface wing, weighs barely 4.4 kg in the lightweight version and 4.7 kg in the ‘normal’ version.
PMA Harness Effect Test
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The result was known beforehand, which all participants assumed. But it seemed necessary to re-verify old results. In short, the effect of different harnesses in different settings on comparatively moderate gliders was to be investigated...
MAKING AN X-ALPS WING
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The wings made for the X-Alps have very specific specifications. Hannes Papesh from Phi explained some of the distinctive features to us that, as a manufacturer, he has to pay particular attention to...
SKYWALK RANGE X-ALPS 2
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The Range X-Alps 2 was used by X-Alps pilots Paul Guschlbauer, Simon Oberrauner and Ferdinand van Schelven...
RED BULL X-ALPS 2019
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The hike&fly race covering more than 1000 kilometres, from Salzburg in Austria to Monaco will take place again this summer.
Niviuk Hook5 /HOOK 5P
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The entry level/mid EN B wing from Niviuk appeared in 2019 in its fifth version, both in a classic and lightweight ‘P’ version. The latter is currently being finalised. The weights are still not fully confirmed for all the sizes.
Advance XI quick test
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The Advance Xi is a lightweight version of the Iota 2, specifically designed for hike and fly...
Phi Viola
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Stefan Ungemach has done a quick test of one of the first samples of the Viola 18. Here is a condensed version of his first impressions...
Knots
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Horizon Réparations is one of the oldest repair centres for paragliders in the world. Its owner, Nicolas Brenneur, who also has lots of experience as a designer, talked through the latest ‘trends’ in glider faults as well as errors in maintenance committed by pilots...
Phantom, FREE FLYING AND WITH A MOTOR
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The Phantom which came out in 2016 quietly continues its expansion across the market. This extraordinary EN B for free flying, is also certified for with a motor...
Supair: Skypper 2, Delight 3...
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The harness research laboratory team has been strengthened by the addition of Romain Rousset. Despite the expansion of the range of paragliders, harnesses remain important: Supair produce thousands of harnesses per year; the figure could be around 10,000...